Listing code
13.15
Adult (Part A)
Body system
13.00
Cancer (malignant neoplastic diseases)
Subsections
3
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Pleura or mediastinum.
Subsection A
Malignant mesothelioma of pleura. OR
Subsection B
Tumors of the mediastinum, as described in 1 or 2: 1. With metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. 2. Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy. OR
- With metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes.
- Persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy. OR
Subsection C
Small-cell (oat cell) carcinoma.
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 13.15. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 13.15 usually fail
A frequent problem is claiming pleura or mediastinum cancer without medical evidence that specifies the type, extent, and site of the lesion, which the cancer listings require. Another failure mode is treating mediastinal tumors as qualifying automatically, even though the criteria for mediastinal tumors hinge on either metastases to or beyond regional lymph nodes or persistence or recurrence after initial anticancer therapy. Some people focus on diagnosis but miss the time course piece, meaning there is no documentation that the tumor persisted or recurred after initial anticancer therapy. Others may have pathology from one place but not the site/extent details needed to match 13.15's pleura versus mediastinum requirement.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Medical evidence needs to specify the type, extent, and site of the primary, recurrent, or metastatic lesion. For pleura or mediastinum cancers, the most directly helpful documents are a copy of the operative note and the pathology report for operative procedures such as a biopsy or needle aspiration. When those documents cannot be obtained, summaries of hospitalization or other medical reports are acceptable, as long as they include details of the surgical findings and, when appropriate, the pathological findings. In some cases, additional evidence about recurrence, persistence, progression, the response to therapy, and any significant residuals may be needed to show the "persistent or recurrent following initial anticancer therapy" pathway in 13.15B.
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If 13.15 is not met exactly, the evaluation moves to how severe the cancer-related limitations are in day-to-day functioning. The decision uses residual functional capacity to decide what work activities can still be done. Even if the exact listing criteria are not satisfied, approval can still happen later in the process if the functional impact is consistent with disability under the non-listing evaluation steps, including consideration of the medical-vocational factors for age and work history.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
At the start of an SSDI claim, substantial gainful activity (SGA) is the work-activity gate, and working above SGA can prevent approval regardless of how the pleura or mediastinum cancer is labeled. After medical eligibility is established, the ability to perform sustained work is considered in light of the functional effects tied to the criteria in 13.15, such as malignancy in the pleura/mediastinum and, for mediastinal tumors, spread to or beyond the regional lymph nodes or persistence or recurrence after initial anticancer therapy. If approved, trial work and continued eligibility rules apply under the program's ongoing work provisions; for people who meet the medical criteria and are determined eligible, work during trial work and the extended period of eligibility can allow returning to work while benefits continue through those phases.
Listing 13.15 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for pleura or mediastinum disability claims.